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We would like to give you an idea of who exactly is behind all this work. Here are some members of the team. |
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT The Foundation of Plastic-Reconstructive Surgery and Burns *Solidarity* is a Private Organism with not Profit Purposes .It was created to fulfill the need to restore the smile and give a second chance to live normally to children from Ecuador and South America. They are the poorest children, born with the unwanted tragedy of facial deformities such as cleft lip and palate. We target too the children suffering from severe burns..These two conditions as we'll review briefly, are related to the extreme poverty of families living on specific areas The incidence rate in Ecuadorian children, born with cleft lip and palate for instance, is alarming. In 500 hundred born alive children, one is affected. If we consider the high children's birth rate; we may have an overall view of the problem. The second factor of tragedy is their parents extreme poverty. So the almost impossibility for them to reach an early adequate surgical treatment as well as a specialized follow up. This follow up is a long process of recovery which requires subsequent surgical interventions, psycho-social reinsertion, physical training, orthophonie; orthodontics and speech therapy. There are clear evidences of the multi factorial causes intervening in the predisposition to born with such deformities: Inherited and Environmental factors. In regard on Inheritance ;we have the evidence of the 4% chances to a child be born with cleft and lip palate ;if one parent suffer from the same condition. Environmental factors such bad nutrition of poor mothers : lack of vitamin A, riboflavin, folic acid and panthoteic acid during pregnancy have to be considered. Another environmental factor is the misuse of insecticides on the fields, which cause s a contamination of the stream of rivers, fruits and vegetables ,ingested by the mothers during pregnancy A child with a cleft lip and palate implies an open communication among the nasal and oral cavities. This make extremely difficult to a child fulfill his feedings needs. It also implies an emotional breakdown between the mother and the baby ;mainly when we talk about breast feeding. As a consequence of the impeded child 's nutrition ;this factor creates many times a starving condition on the child. The esthetic deformation since their birthday attract immediately the attention and anguish of parents .They consult the doctors, but they can't afford their child to go into Reconstructive surgery and follow up. The logical consequences are most of the time devastating for the whole family. When a child grows up with these deformities he( or she) is totally rejected by schoolmates and very often by members of their own families .They have any chances to get a job. Not even a chance for children to smile Not even a hope to laugh. They are lost lives. The adequate time for a child having surgery is by the age of 12 weeks. Then ,the palate must be surgically closed before the age of 18 months. During his life spam ,the child will probably need more corrections surgeries such as nose and surgical scars. repair. The rehabilitation of a patient needs a continuous effort of a team and an adequate medical-surgical equipment. An interdisciplinary group of Specialized Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons; Anesthesiologists, Odontologists , Orthophonists, Otorrinolaringologists, Speech Therapists, Psychologists and Social Workers. will work on a long term basis with children and their families. The second area of our attention is the syndrome of a burned child. There is not a more tragic view that of a child who had suffered of severe burns. (Second and third degree )We, as a Foundation we have the commitment. to give all the necessary urgent attention and follow up, to these children. They are very frequent in our area Once more, the tragic conditions of poverty on the daily life of children and parents; create circumstances where the child has to stay at home, often taking care of little sisters or brothers, and preparing foods on old gas stoves The lack of electricity and the use of candles at night in houses of inflammable materials; complete the cycle. of poverty and disasters. The Foundation of Reconstructive Surgery *Solidarity* has a commitment. We are socially engaged to act in behalf of the Integral rehabilitation and Social Integration of both groups of children. We do believe in Partnership and we look forward to work with International Foundations. We will help our community to become more self-sufficient. We will give a second chance to children to live in dignity and confidence. With our actual resources, t's almost impossible to continue restoring smiles and happiness to poor families We strongly believe in Human Solidarity! So we count on you.! We need your help to work with us and become more efficient.. Let's us hear from you and feel free to communicate .We are eager to share with you the progress of our activities and the pictures and stories of restored children's smiles and laughs.
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